


Can't Sleep?

by emetoandotherthings



Category: Original Work
Genre: Emetophilia, Fluff, Graphic Depictions of Illness, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Original Character(s), Stomach Ache, Vomiting, couples, emeto, emeto fiction, kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-12
Updated: 2020-01-12
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:29:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22231822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emetoandotherthings/pseuds/emetoandotherthings
Summary: Prompt: Character A is feeling lousy and can't get to sleep. Character B comes up with a solutionWarning: Includes vomiting
Relationships: Jude/Eden
Kudos: 38





	Can't Sleep?

Jude was trying to balance his forehead on the rim of his mug. The warmth of the vapours floating up to the bridge of his nose and across his cheeks, even though the scent of the coffee kept catching in the back of his throat. He’d been low-key queasy since the morning, he’d slept badly and he’d tried to convince himself that the resultant exhaustion was the reason his limbs felt so heavy and unresponsive. But now it was twenty to eleven at night and Jude was sitting at the kitchen table, his blanket wrapped around his shoulders, his table top, and waves of nausea sporadically washed over him. He couldn’t tell whether the coffee was helping or hindering him, but it was warm and wet and for the moment that would do. His eyelids were so heavy Jude wondered whether rocks had been attached to his eyelashes to drag them down. But even still, he wasn’t able to sleep. 

He’d tried to have a nap when he got back from his lectures, thinking that he’d be refreshed after and get more work done, but that hadn’t gone to plan either. He’d tossed and turned as he lay in bed, feeling increasingly tired, heavy and sick but unable to get any rest. So he’d given up and gotten up, but it was now five hours on from that and he’d achieved minimal results. He was using a ruler underneath the line of text he was supposed to be reading, but he hadn’t moved it down for at least ten minutes – he couldn’t seem to take in the sentence. He tried to start reading it again, but as he did so he heard keys jingling and then the lock of his flat door clicking open. 

“Hey!” Eden called as the door closed. “Jude, you about?” 

“I’m in the kitchen,” Jude replied, and was concerned to hear the weak wobble in his own voice. 

“I’ll be through in a sec,” Jude heard the door of Eden’s bedroom squeaking open as he put his things away; then footsteps across the hallway and Eden waltzed in, heading directly across to the kettle and filling it up without casting so much as a glance at Jude. “My god I’m glad that’s all over, I’d hoped to be home by six but the centrifuge broke, then there was an issue with the gas supply to lab three… urgh!” Eden was rolling his shoulders as he replaced the kettle into its cradle and turned around. Only then did he really look at Jude for the first time, and his eyes went very wide on his face. “Jude! Are you okay?” The concern rang through every syllable. 

“I – uh – I’m feeling a bit rough to be honest,” Jude answered, alarmed by the way Eden was looking at him. “Why?”

“You’re a bit of a funny colour – you look exhausted!” Eden said. “Why are you still working? You should be resting if you’re feeling ill!” 

“I don’t think I’m actually getting any work done,” Jude shook his head lightly. “I tried to have a nap earlier but I couldn’t sleep and it just made me feel worse.” He rubbed his hand across his face, wishing that he could crawl into bed and sleep for a week. 

“Are you sure coffee’s the right drink to be having?” Eden asked gently, Jude looked down at the semi full mug and shook his head again. 

“No, but it’s warm and that was the main criteria…”

“Do you want a cup of tea?” Eden offered, bringing a mug down from the cupboard for himself.

“No thanks.”

“Have you taken any medication?” Eden asked as he poured the boiling water into his mug and fished out the teabag; Jude shook his head. “How are you feeling? I can get you something that might help…”

“I think I’m just over tired,” Jude sighed, “and I just can’t settle. My head’s sore and my stomach’s a bit queasy, I think if I get a decent rest then I’ll be fine.” Eden was taking a deep gulp from his tea with his eyes still focussed on Jude, and Jude was momentarily distracted by wondering how Eden hadn’t just scaled the inside of his mouth. 

“Come on then martyr boy,” Eden had plonked his mug down and crossed to the table, tenderly taking hold of Jude’s wrist and pulled gently and firmly. “I’m going to help you get some rest – you look like you need it.” 

“But I need to get these articles read for tomorrow,” Jude protested weakly, but still allowed himself to be pulled up from the table. He wobbled and overbalanced, Eden wrapped his arms around him to catch him as he fell forwards and Jude rested his head against Eden’s chest.

“How much have you actually managed to get done though?” Eden looked down at Jude, then stroked his forehead. 

“None,” Jude sighed, making no effort to pull away from Eden’s reassuring hold. 

“Okay, I think you better be in bed then,” Eden commented, then took hold of Jude’s wrist again and began to pull him through to his bedroom. Jude was a little reluctant as to how Eden was going to help him sleep when he’d failed before. Eden led him into Jude’s bedroom. “You get ready for bed and I’ll be back in a moment.”

Jude sat on the edge of his bed and, very slowly, bent down to remove his socks, as he did this his head seemed to spin and his fingers trembled as he ripped them from his feet as a painful burning sensation began around his sternum. He pulled his t-shirt over his head and fumbled among his bedcovers to find his vest which he put on. Eden came back into the room just as Jude had stopped down to his boxers, and he placed a few candles distributed between Jude’s bedside table and his desk. 

“Go on, lie down – I’ll be with you in a second,” Eden said, striking a match and lighting the candles before pulling open the window just far enough to let some air in. 

Reluctantly Jude had climbed under his duvet and lay on his side, as he did this the burning feeling seemed to spread further up his chest and his stomach sloshed uncomfortably. He took a few deep breaths, screwing his eyes shut as he tried to convince himself that it would be fine and he’d be asleep soon. Eden switched the light off and drew Jude’s desk chair across to the side of the bed then gently stroke the side of Jude’s face.

“I want you to try and squeeze the muscles in your toes for four seconds, then release them.” Eden kept his voice low and soothing, still stroking the side of Jude’s face. “We’re going to slowly work our way up.”

Jude was trying to tune in purely to Eden’s voice, but he was finding that difficult as the pain in his head was throbbing and that hot discomfort that had begun in his chest felt like it was creeping up his throat. He swallowed involuntarily, struggling not to wriggle about in the bed as the uncomfortable feeling gripped him. 

“Alright, now you’re going to squeeze your knees for four seconds, then relax.” Eden was now instructing Jude, but a loud gurgle had emitted from Jude’s stomach and a bubble of air rolled up his throat and he tasted something bitter at the back of his mouth. 

“Nope – I’m sorry Eden,” Jude was pushing himself upright again, shaking his head and taking slow deep breaths. “Lying down is just making me feel more nauseous.” He ran his hands across his face, still taking deep breaths. “Can you turn the light on, please?”

“Course,” Eden had sprung up from the chair and turned the light on; Jude was leaning back against his headboard, his face was the colour of milk. “You’re really not looking too good…” As if to reply Jude’s stomach let out another loud, obnoxious gurgle and Jude put both of his hands to his belly. 

“I think I’m going to have to try and sleep sitting up to avoid upsetting my stomach anymore…” Jude sighed, then his voice suddenly sounded like he might be about to cry. “I just wanna sleep…” He hung his head; Eden watched Jude rubbing his hand over his upset stomach, and this gave Eden another idea. Roughly he kicked off his shoes and tugged his jumper off. 

“Jude, move to the centre of the bed and down a bit,” Eden said, Jude looked up at him.

“Why?” 

“Just do it, you’ll see why in a second,” Eden insisted, he was climbing onto the edge of the bed and positioning himself behind Jude. With his legs straddled either side of Jude’s and his back leaning against the headboard, he said: “Right, lean against me.”

“What?” Jude had twisted to try and see Eden’s face, but he let out a small groan. Eden put his hands on Jude’s shoulders and gently eased him back so he was rested against Eden’s chest.

“I’ll keep you upright, and you can relax and try to sleep.” Eden explained, reaching one of his hands round and slipping his hand underneath Jude’s vest so he could rub his hand across Jude’s stomach. He knew from experience that Jude liked belly rubs when he wasn’t feeling well, so he carefully began to massage small circles into Jude’s flesh. “Relax…” Eden whispered into Jude’s ear, and he felt a further bit of weight as Jude leant against him.

Eden’s height was an advantage here, so he could straddle Jude’s smaller stature with ease, supporting him. There was a long silence where Eden continued to rub Jude’s stomach. Very slowly Jude’s weight got heavier, his head dropping back against Eden’s shoulder and the sounds of his breathing had evened out. Trying to peer at Jude without waking him, pleased to hear the occasional huff of Jude exhaling. Eden continued to rub his fingers across Jude’s stomach even though the plan had already had the desired effect. Jude’s face was still incredibly pale as he slept, and every so often Eden could hear a gurgling, whining sound coming from Jude’s stomach. 

Eden was beginning to feel sleepy himself, with the warm weight of Jude pressing against him, when the hand he was rubbing on Jude’s belly perceived a strange movement, a sudden jerking inward. Eden looked down at Jude, but was reassured to see he was still asleep, but then he felt it again – that strange jerk of his stomach muscles. Jude shifted against Eden’s chest, and suddenly a loud noise, similar to air being let out of a balloon, issued from Jude’s stomach and it made that jerking motion again. But it wasn’t limited just to his stomach, the movement seemed to roll up his spine, sending him careering forward and Eden used his free hand to seize Jude’s shoulder to prevent him falling. 

A deep gurgling belch broke forth from Jude’s mouth, but halfway through Eden felt Jude’s shoulder strain against his grip and the gurgle suddenly turned into a splash of liquid which splattered across the bedspread over his lap. He’d hardly drawn breath before a fountain of puke forced out of his mouth, creating a huge puddle in his lap.

“Oh god Jude,” Eden was concerned as the moment Jude gasped for air yet another burbling wave of vomit projected form his mouth; Eden rubbed Jude’s back to try and help him, as it seemed his body wasn’t going to be satisfied until his stomach was empty. “You’re alright, get it all out.”

“I – _hggkuuuu_ ….” Jude had tried to talk but been cut off by another retch which brought up only a small amount of bile that splashed into the puddle, but he continued to heave – bringing nothing up but unable to stop. Eden heard him whimpering as he struggled to reign in his retching. 

“It’s okay,” Eden continued to rub Jude’s back. “You’ll feel better soon, I promise.” 

It must have been another few minutes before Jude managed to lean back against Eden again, finally finished vomiting. Eden stroked his fingers over Jude’s clammy forehead.

“Sorry…” He was breathing heavily, but didn’t appear to be about to throw up again.

“Don’t be sorry,” Eden reassured. “How’s your belly feeling now?”

“Bit better…” Jude mumbled, closing his eyes.

“I’m going to have to move you I’m afraid,” Eden told him. “I can’t have you lying in your own sick.” Jude moaned slightly, but Eden had already begun to extricate himself so that he could remove the puke covered bedspread.

After he’d managed to ease himself out from behind Jude he folded the bedcover up, the puddle of sick in the middle and he carefully carried it through to the kitchen and forced it into the washing machine. If it ruined the duvet then they’d just have to buy a new one. He picked up the blanket on one of the kitchen chairs, that had been draped around Jude’s shoulders earlier, and carried it through, intending to put it over Jude. As he opened Jude’s door he was confronted with Jude, lying flat out on his bed, fast asleep. He shook out the blanket, and covered it over Jude.

Clearly all Jude had needed to actually get to sleep was to empty his stomach… 


End file.
